HCR 2038 — Colorado River; seven-state agreement

ARIZONAHouse HOUSEEngrossed OFColorado REPRESENTATIVESRiver; FLOOR AMENDMENT EXPLANATION 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session Majority Research Staff HCR2038:

Coloradoseven-state River;agreement State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 2038 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A SEVEN-STATE CONSENSUS AGREEMENT ON POST-2026 OPERATING GUIDELINES ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

seven-state(TEXT agreementOF GRIFFINBILL FLOORBEGINS AMENDMENTON 1.NEXT PAGE) - i - Whereas, key operating guidelines for the Colorado River between Upper Basin and Lower Basin states expire this year;

Expandsand listedWhereas, entities who rely on the Colorado River asis a vital resource tofor includethis state, as Arizona's major population center, agricultural industry, advanced technology sector, tribal communities and Arizona'smilitary majorbases populationrely centers.heavily on water from the Colorado River;

2.

Clarifies the reductions and conservation of Colorado River water by the Lower Basin States.

3.

Modifies language relating to Colorado River negotiations.

4.

Makes technical changes.

CORBIN W.

2/24/2026 (602) 926-3848 Fifty-seventh Legislature Griffin Second Regular Session H.C.R.

2038 ADDITIONAL COW GRIFFIN FLOOR AMENDMENT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO H.C.R.

2038 (Reference to House engrossed bill) Amendment instruction key:

[GREEN UNDERLINING IN BRACKETS] indicates text added to statute or previously enacted session law.

[Green underlining in brackets] indicates text added to new session law or text restoring existing law.

[GREEN STRIKEOUT IN BRACKETS] indicates new text removed from statute or previously enacted session law.

[Green strikeout in brackets] indicates text removed from existing statute, previously enacted session law or new session law.

<<Green carets>> indicate a section added to the bill.

<<Green strikeout in carets>> indicates a section removed from the bill.

The resolution as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows:

Whereas, key operating guidelines for the Colorado River between Upper Basin and Lower Basin states expire this year;

and Whereas, the Colorado River is a vital resource for this state, as Arizona's [major population center,] agricultural industry, advanced technology sector[, tribal communities] and military bases rely heavily on water from the Colorado River;

and Whereas, within the overall Colorado River Basin, approximately 75 percent of all jobs, people, crop sales and economic activity are located within the Lower Basin [states]States [States] of Arizona, California and Nevada;

and Whereas, Arizona and the Lower Basin [states]States [States] have offered and continue to offer collaborative solutions to proactively protect the Colorado River system;

and Whereas, the Lower Basin [states]States [States] have already taken [8.9 million acre-feet of real, meaningful reductions] [real, meaningful reductions to conserve almost 8.9 million acre-feet]acre-feet in [ColoradoLake River use] [Lake Mead since 2007];2007;

and HouseWhereas, Amendmentsbetween 2023 and 2026, the Lower Basin States will have generated up to H.C.R.3.7 million acre-feet of verified audited conservation, safeguarding the Colorado River system;

2038 Whereas, [by the end of 2026] [between 2023 and 2026], the Lower Basin [states] [States] will have generated up to 3.7 million acre-feet of verified audited conservation, safeguarding the Colorado River system;

and Whereas, Arizona remains diligent in its efforts to work together, continue meeting and find a solution that [respectsprovides all basin states while upholding the 1922 Compact] [provides certainty to all Basin States while protecting the Colorado River system];system;

and Whereas, the Lower Basin [states]States [States] have [addressedprovided and will continue to] [provided a solution that is intended to]to address the structural deficit in the Lower Basin [andand share reductions needed to protect the Colorado River system];system;

and Whereas, throughout the negotiations with the [basinBasin states]States, [Basin States], it is necessary to reach an agreement that continues to benefit all [basinBasin states] [Basin States while sharing the risk of reductions].reductions.

Therefore[,]Therefore ThatBe theit Membersresolved ofby the LegislatureHouse supportof aRepresentatives mutual,of seven-statethe agreementState thatof benefitsArizona, all [basin states] [Basin States] and protects the [majorSenate populationconcurring: centers and] industries in Arizona that are vital to our national security, economy and food supply.

EnrollThat the Members of the Legislature support a mutual, seven-state agreement that benefits all Basin States and engrossprotects tothe conformmajor Amendpopulation titlecenters toand conformindustries GAILin GRIFFINArizona HCR2038FloorGRIFFIN2.docxthat 02/24/2026are 09:03vital AMto H:our national security, economy and food supply.

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